Sectional instrument case



Sept. 11, 1923. 1,467,345

H. A. WALLACE SECTIONAL INSTRUMENT CASE Filed July 26 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,fuj lg Sept. 11, 1923. 3%,4673Q355 H. A. WALLACE SECTION/{L INSTRUMENT CASE Filed July 26 1919 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 5' INVENTOR f W 42, WWW

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Patented Sept. 11, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT A. WALLACE, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF IENNSYLVANIA.

SECTIONAL INSTRUMENT CASE.

Application filed July 26, 1919. Serial N0. 313,659.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Hnemrr A. WALLACE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sectional Instrument Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to instrument cases, and is particularly adapted to cases for the housing of relays employed in railway signaling.

One object of my invention is the provision of a case built up of a plurality of individual sections, and having vertical and horizontal chases extending through the case for the distribution of wires to the several sections of the case. Another object of the invention is the construction of the sections f in such manner that all of the chases are capable of access from the front of the case, so that the case can be located with its back against a wall without in any way interfering with freedom of access to all parts of the case.

I will describe one form of instrument case embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is an outline view showing in front elevation one form of instrument case embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing in front elevation one section S, and part of another section S of the case shown in Fig. 1, the

front doors being removed to simplify the drawing. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the plane indicated by the line III-III of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a top view of the section shown in Fig. 2, the top plate being removed. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line III- III of Fig. 2 with the doors, top plate, shelf and terminal board removed to show how the side plate 3 is cut away to provide the horizontal wire chases opening into the vertical chase V.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the instrument casein the form here shown comprises two vertical tiers of sections S and S, the tiers being spaced apart as shown to provide a' vertical space V between them, which space constitutes a vertical Wire chase, that is,'a

chase through which wires may be passed and from which they may be distributed to the interior of the several sections. This chase is closed at back and front as will be ex lained hereinafter.

eferring now to Figs. 2, 3 and 4:, the section S in the form here shown is a box-like structure made up of a back plate 1, two side walls 3 and 3 and a bottom plate 2, each of these parts being preferably of sheet metal. The section has no top plate of its own, the bottom plate of the section next above constituting the top plate of the section shown, as indicated at 4 in Flg. 3. The upper section of each tier 18, however, provided with a top plate 19 as shown in Fig. 1. As here shown, the two side plates 3 and 3 are integral with the back plate 1, .being bent outwardly therefrom at right angles to the back plate as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. The bottom plate 2 is attached to the back plate 1 by an angle bar 5 as shown in Fig. 3, and to the side plates 3 and 3 by similar angle bars 6 and 6 as shown in Fig. 2, the several plates being secured to these angle bars preferably by rivets as shown. The front of the section is provided with two doors 8, 8", which are hinged to the side plates as shown at 7 7 in Fig. 4 and which meet in the middle of the section when they are closed. Each door is provided with a handle 9 by means of which the door may readily be opened and closed, and the hinges are preferably made so that the doors may be removed while the wiring is being done inside the section.

Each section is provided with a horizontal shelf 10 which is supported from the back plate 1 by an angle bar 11 as shown in Fig. 3, this shelf projecting only art way to the front of the section as also s own in Fig. 3. Each section is also provided with a terminal board 12 of insulating material which is attached to the front edge of the shelf 10 by hinges 133 as best shown in Fig. 3. This board normally occupies the position as shown in Fig. 3, wherein it reaches to the top of the section and so closes the space above the shelf 10, but it may be swung downwardly on the hinges 13 when desired, to 've access to the space above the shelf. he terminal board may be latched in its vertical position by means of sliding latchs 1% he bolts of which enter 1 vertical wirin holes in the side plates such as the hole 14: shown in Fig. 5.

The space above the shelf 10 and behind the terminal board 12 constitutes the horizontal wire chase, and is designated by the reference character H. The left hand side wall 3 of each section S is cut away at the top as shown at?) in Fig. 5, so that the horizontal chase H of each of these SBCiilOIlS opens into the vertical chase V. The right hand side plate of each section S is similarly cut away in the same manner and for the same purpose. It is, of course, understood that if there is another vertical tier of sections to the right of section S, the right hand side plate of each section S Wlll be cut in a similar manner to provide access from the horizontal chase of each section to the vertical chase which will then be provided between sections S and the. sections to the right thereof.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the vertical chase is closed at back and front by plates 15 and 15, which plates are preferably removably attached to the case so that easy access to the chase is provided. As here shown, each plate is provided with flanges and the plate ,is attached to the side plates of sections S and S by long bolts 16. I do not desire to limit myself, however, to this means for removably attaching the front and back cover plates to the case.

The relays R or other instruments which are housed in the case may conveniently be placed on the bottom plates of the sections, as indicated by the dash lines in the several views, so that these bottom plates constitute shelves for the instruments. The wires or cables which are to be connected to these instruments are led into the vertical chase V, from which the wires for the instruments in the several sections are distributed to the horizontal chases H of such sections. The wires which enter each section may conveniently lie on the shelf 10 of the section as shown in Fig. 3, from which they are led to terminal posts 17 mounted in the terminal board 12. The instrument or instruments in each section are connected with these terminal posts by jumper wires as shown in Fig. 3, which wires may be entirely in front of the terminal board, or may pass through holes 20 in the terminal board (see Fig. 2) and then through holes 18 in the shelf (see Fig. 4). By virtue of this construction, the jumper 'wires may be made short and the may therefore be neat and cheap, but t e relays may nevertheless be drawn forward entirely clear of the front of the case for urposes of inspection without disturibing t e wiring.

' Although I have herein shown and described only" one formof instrument case embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An instrument case comprising two vertical tiers of individual sections, said tiers being spaced apart to provide a central vertical wire chase, and a horizontal wire chase in each section opening into said vertical chase.

2. An instrument case comprising two vertical tiers of individual sections, said tiers being spaced apart to provide a central vertical wire chase, covers for the back and front of said vertical chase, and a horizontal wire chase in each section opening into said vertical chase.

3. An instrument case comprising two vertical tiers of individual sections, said tiers being spaced apart to provide a central vertical wire chase, means for enclosing said vertical chase at both the front and back of the case, and a horizontal wire chase in each section opening into said vertical chase.

4:. An instrument case comprising two vertical tiers of individual sections, said tiers being spaced apart to provide a central vertical wire chase, a horizontal shelf in each section, and a terminal board in each section hinged to the shelf and normally occupying a vertical position, the shelf and terminal board of each sectionforming a horizontal wire chase opening into said vertical chase.

5. An instrument case comprising two vertical tiers of individual sections. said tiers being spaced apart to provide a central vertical wire chase, a horizontal shelf in each section extending from the back towards the front of the section, and a terminal board in each section hinged to the front edge of the shelf and normally occupying a vertical position wherein it extends upwardly to the top of the section. the shelf and terminal board of each section forming a horizontal wire chase opening into said vertical chase.

6. An instrument case comprising a rectangular enclosure the lower portion of which constitutes an instrument receiving space, a horizontal wire-supporting shelf located within said enclosure and above the instrument space, and a vertically disposed terminal board also located within said enclosure and above the instrument space.

7. An instrument case comprising two vertical tiers of individual sections, said tiers being spaced apart to provide a central vertical wire chase, a horizontal shelf in each section, and a terminal board in each section located forming with the shelf a horizontal wire chase opening into'said vertical chase.

8. An instrument case comprising a pluabove the front of the shelf and rality of vertical tiers of individual sections, each section comprising an instrument shelf, a Wire shelf and a terminal board; the wire shelf and terminal board of each section and the instrument shelf of the next section above constituting a horizontal wire chase between the sections of each tier, and the tiers being spaced apart to form a vertical wire chase between them.

9. An instrument case comprising a rectangular enclosure the lower portion of which constitutes an instrument receiving space, a horizontal wire-supporting shelf located 'within said enclosure and above the instrument space, and a terminal board located within said enclosure and above the instrument space and hingedly attached to said shelf. k

10. An instrument casecomprising a rectangular enclosure the lower portion of which constitutes an instrument receiving space, a horizontal wire-supporting shelf located within said enclosure above the instrument space and extending from the back towards the front of the enclosure, and a terminal board also located within said enclosure and extending upwardly from the front edge of said shelf.

11. An instrument case comprising a rectangular. enclosure the lower portion ofwhich-constitutes an instrument receiving space, a horizontal wire-simporting shelf located within said enclosure above the instrument space and extending from the back towards the front of the enclosure, and a terminal board hinged to the front edge of said shelf and normally occupying a vertical position wherein it extends from said shelf towards the top of the enclosure.

12. An instrument case comprising a r'ectangular enclosure the lower portion of which constitutes an instrument receiving space. a door at thefront of said enclosure for giving access to the contents thereof, a horizontal wire-supporting shelf located within said enclosure above the instrument space and extending from the back towards the front of the enclosure, and a terminal board also located within said enclosure and extending upwardly from the front edge of said shelf.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature' in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT A. WALLACE. 

